Helical fuel burner

ABSTRACT

A burner for consuming a fuel includes a base with a lower end, an upper end, and at least one side wall. A fuel inlet port of the upper end of the base includes at least an inner wall and a bottom wall. At least one helical conduit is fixed outside of the inner wall of the fuel inlet port and conveys air from an open lower end thereof to an opposing open top end thereof at the upper end of the base. A bottom end of an annular glass burning chamber is fixed with the upper end of the base, such that the second end of the at least one conduit terminates therebetween. As such, the fuel in the fuel inlet port mixes with the air entering the burning chamber from the at least one helical conduit and burns in a helical pattern within the burning chamber.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication 61/806,852, filed on Mar. 30, 2013, included herein byreference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to burning chambers, and more particularly to anaesthetically pleasing burning chamber that produces an elongated spiralflame effect.

DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART

Campfires and fire pits have long been enjoyed by people who find itrelaxing and interesting to look at the flames of the fire. Often alarger fire is more interesting, but of course an open campfire or firepit with a larger fire also becomes more dangerous for a variety ofreasons, such as the risk of neighboring structures or foliage catchingon fire, burns, and the like.

Conventional gel-fuel type burners are also known in the art, but such afuel produces a relatively small and visibly weak flame. Gel-fuel typeburners are quite convenient, however, in that their fuel containers areeasier to use than other fuels such as wood.

One product currently available by Outdoor Greatroom Company, marketedunder the brand name “Serenity-K Table Top Firepit,” and described in US2012/0006316 to Shimek et al. on Jan. 12, 2012, produces a vortex flamepattern by using a plurality of radially-spiraling air vanes above afuel container and below a burning chamber to impart a spinning motionto air entering the burning chamber. Such air is heated in the burningchamber and a vortex-shaped flame results. However, in such a productthe air-intake assembly is visible, and the air that enters the burningchamber is introduced thereto laterally with no upward verticalvelocity. The heat of the flame is what imparts an upward velocity tothe air with this type of product. An even taller and more vibrant flamecould be accomplished if the air entering the burning chamber alreadyhad a vertical direction, but such is not possible with the Shimek etal. device.

Another device taught in EP 2098781 to Werner Abele of Germany, on Mar.5, 2008, teaches a similar device wherein the burning chamber includesthe radial vanes along the entire height thereof. Typically burningchambers on such fire pit products comprise a glass tube, so that theflame may be readily visible. This type of product requires not a glasstube but rather a plurality of arched glass vanes oriented to impart aspin to the air entering the burning chamber between the vanes. Such aglass structure is distracting, however, and not nearly as uniform as asingle glass tube through which the flame may be viewed.

Therefore, there is a need for a device that provides for interestingflame effects with a gel-type fuel, but with a larger and moreinteresting flame. The needed device would have no visible air intakevanes for aesthetic simplicity, and would include a single glass orother transparent tube for viewing the flame therein. Such a neededinvention would provide means for reducing the chance of a persongetting burned, and would be an attractive device from an aestheticsstandpoint. Such a needed device would further be relatively simple tomanufacture and use. The present invention accomplishes theseobjectives.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present device is a burner for consuming a fuel such as bio ethanol(“fuel gel” or “fire gel”), alcohol or ethanol gels, wood or kerosene,and for resting on a horizontal surface such as a table or viewingpedestal. A base has a lower end and an upper end, and at least one sidewall. A fuel inlet port of the upper end of the base includes at leastan inner wall and a bottom wall, and may be a fuel container having anopen top end. Alternately, the fuel inlet port includes an open end of apressurized fuel conduit, such as for conveying a pressurized fuel suchas propane, natural gas or the like.

At least one helical conduit is fixed outside of the inner wall of thefuel inlet port. Each helical conduit is adapted for conveying air froma first open end thereof at the lower end of the base to a second openend thereof at the upper end of the base. The lower end of the base 30is adapted to support the burner on the horizontal surface whileproviding air flow to the first open end of the at least one helicalconduit, such as with a plurality of feet around which air may flow, orradial grooves through which air may flow.

In one embodiment, the at least one helical conduit is contained in anannular air guide sleeve that is adapted to be slidably received in acentral aperture of the base. In such an embodiment, the fuel containeris adapted to be slidably received within a longitudinal bore of the airguide sleeve. Alternately, the fuel inlet port is integrated into a topend of the air guide sleeve.

An annular glass burning chamber has a bottom end, a top end, an innerwall and an outer wall. The bottom end of the burning chamber is fixedwith the upper end of the base, such that the second end of the at leastone conduit terminates therebetween. As such, the fuel in the fuel inletport mixes with the air entering the burning chamber from the at leastone helical conduit and burns in a helical pattern within the burningchamber.

In one embodiment, an annular transparent cooling sleeve is fixed aroundthe burning chamber with at least one heat-resistant spacing bracket.The cooling sleeve is open at a first bottom end and at a second top endthereof. As such, air heated by the outer wall of the burning chamberrises and exists at a top gap defined between the second top end of thecooling sleeve and the top end of the burning chamber. In this fashion,cooler air is drawn between the cooling sleeve and the burning chamberat an air gap between the first bottom end of the cooling sleeve and theupper end of the base, the air gap resulting from at least one spacingbracket being fixed between the base and the cooling sleeve.

The second end of the at least one helical conduit preferably terminatesbetween the burning chamber and the fuel inlet port of the base in adirection substantially tangential to and upwardly included with theinner wall of the burning chamber. In this way the fuel is mixed withair to form a smooth helical fire pattern along the inner wall of theburning chamber. However, in an alternate embodiment, the second end ofthe at least one helical conduit terminates between the burning chamberand the fuel inlet port of the base in a direction somewhere between thelongitudinal axis of the burning chamber and the inner wall of theburning chamber, yet while still being upwardly included with respect tothe base. In such an embodiment, the helical fire pattern of the fuelbeing burned is more centrally located within the burning chamber,closer towards the longitudinal axis of the burning chamber than at theinner wall of the burning chamber.

The present invention a device that provides for interesting flameeffects with a gel-type fuel such as bio ethanol in a can, but with alarger and more interesting flame than a traditional gel fuel burner.The present device has no visible air intake vanes, making it aestheticsimple, and includes a single glass or other transparent tube forviewing the flame therein in a non-distracting manner. The presentinvention provides means for reducing the chance of a person gettingburned, and is aesthetically pleasing to look at, both when in use andwhen not in use. The present device further is relatively simple tomanufacture and use. Other features and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent from the following more detaileddescription, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, whichillustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded top perspective view of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a number of different embodiments of theinvention;

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of a fuel container combined with anannular air guide sleeve of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view of the fuel container as engagedwith a base of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of the base of FIG. 6 without the fuelcontainer therein;

FIG. 8 is a bottom perspective view of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is an enlarged top perspective view of an upper end of the base.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described below. Thefollowing explanation provides specific details for a thoroughunderstanding of and enabling description for these embodiments. Oneskilled in the art will understand that the invention may be practicedwithout such details. In other instances, well-known structures andfunctions have not been shown or described in detail to avoidunnecessarily obscuring the description of the embodiments.

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout thedescription and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” and thelike are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to anexclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of“including, but not limited to.” Words using the singular or pluralnumber also include the plural or singular number respectively.Additionally, the words “herein,” “above,” “below” and words of similarimport, when used in this application, shall refer to this applicationas a whole and not to any particular portions of this application. Whenthe claims use the word “or” in reference to a list of two or moreitems, that word covers all of the following interpretations of theword: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list and anycombination of the items in the list. When the word “each” is used torefer to an element that was previously introduced as being at least onein number, the word “each” does not necessarily imply a plurality of theelements, but can also mean a singular element.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a burner 10 for consuming a fuel 20, and forresting on a horizontal surface 15 (FIG. 4). A base 30 has a lower end32 (FIG. 3) and an upper end 38 (FIG. 1), and at least one side wall 35of a height sufficient for the base 30 to contain a fuel inlet port 40therein. The base 30 may take the shape of a square in top plan view, acircle, or any other suitable shape.

The fuel inlet port 40 includes at least an inner wall 46 and a bottomwall 42, and may be preferably as simple as a fuel container 41 havingan open top end 48. As such the fuel 20 may be contained within thecontainer 41, such a fuel being a gel-type fuel such as alcohol orethanol gels, bio ethanol in a can (so-called “fire gel”), wood,kerosene, or the like. Alternately, the fuel inlet port 40 may includean open end of a pressurized fuel conduit 150, such as for conveying apressurized fuel such as propane, natural gas or the like.

The base 30 may include a central aperture 70 through at least the upperend 38 thereof, through which the fuel inlet port 40 is retainedtherein, or in the embodiment having the fuel container 41, throughwhich the fuel container 41 is slidably received. Alternately the fuelinlet port 40 or fuel container 41 is integrally formed in the top side38 of the base 30.

At least one helical conduit 50 is fixed outside of the inner wall 46 ofthe fuel inlet port 50, and preferably the at least one helical conduit50 includes two, three, four or more of the helical conduits 50. Eachhelical conduit 50 is adapted for conveying air from a first open end 52thereof at the lower end 32 of the base 30 to a second open end 58 (FIG.9) thereof at the upper end 38 of the base 30. The lower end 32 of thebase 30 is adapted to support the burner 10 on the horizontal surfacewhile providing air flow to the first open end 52 of the at least onehelical conduit 50, such as with a plurality of feet 160 around whichair may flow, or radial grooves 170 (FIG. 3) through which air may flow.

In one embodiment, the at least one helical conduit 50 is contained inan annular air guide sleeve 80 that is adapted to be slidably receivedin the central aperture 70 of the base. In such an embodiment, the fuelcontainer 41 is adapted to be slidably received within a longitudinalbore 85 of the air guide sleeve 80. Alternately, the fuel inlet port 40is integrated into a top end 88 of the air guide sleeve 80.

Preferably the base 30 and the air guide sleeve 80 are mutuallyrotationally locked together, such as with a bracket and prong 180mechanism (FIG. 3) that secures the air guide sleeve 80 rotationallywith the base 30. Alternately, the air guide sleeve 80 includes aradially-projecting tab 180 that fits within a radially recessed slot190 (FIGS. 5-8) of the central aperture 70 of the base 30, so that theair guide sleeve 80 and base 30 are keyed together and not allowed torotate with respect to each other, the at least one helical conduitformed between the air guide sleeve and the central aperture of the base30. Alternately, the air guide sleeve 80 and the central aperture 70 maybe non-circular to prevent mutual rotation thereof when mutuallyengaged.

An annular burning chamber 60 has a bottom end 62, a top end 68, aninner wall 66 and an outer wall 64. The bottom end 62 of the burningchamber 60 is fixed with the upper end 38 of the base 30, such that thesecond end 58 of the at least one conduit 50 terminates therebetween. Assuch, the fuel 20 in the fuel inlet port 40 mixes with the air enteringthe burning chamber 60 from the at least one helical conduit 50 andburns in a relatively tall, helical pattern within the burning chamber60. Preferably the burning chamber 60 is made from a rigid, transparent,heat-resistant material, such as glass. Alternately, the burning chamber60 may be made from a rigid translucent material, such as stained orfrosted glass.

In one embodiment, an annular transparent cooling sleeve 90 is fixedaround the burning chamber 60 with at least one heat-resistant spacingbracket 100 (FIGS. 1 and 4). The cooling sleeve 90 is open at a firstbottom end 92 and at a second top end 98 thereof. As such, air heated bythe outer wall 64 of the burning chamber 60 rises and exists at a topgap 110 defined between the second top end 98 of the cooling sleeve 90and the top end 68 of the burning chamber 60. In this fashion, coolerair is drawn between the cooling sleeve 90 and the burning chamber 60 atan air gap 140 between the first bottom end 92 of the cooling sleeve 90and the upper end 38 of the base, the air gap 140 resulting from atleast one spacing bracket 100 being fixed between the base 30 and thecooling sleeve 90. The cooling sleeve 90 may be made from the samematerial as the burning chamber 60, or a different material as desired.Preferably, however, the cooling sleeve 90 is rigid and non-opaque. Thecooling sleeve 90 is sized to substantially cover the burning chamber 60to inhibit the touching of the burning chamber 60, which could result ina person being burned. The cooling sleeve 90 is continuously cooled byconvection and the flow of air between the cooling sleeve 90 and theburning chamber 60.

In one embodiment, the base 30 includes an outer circular recess 120adapted to receive the first bottom end 92 of the cooling sleeve 90therein. The base 30 may further include an inner circular recess 130adapted to receive the bottom end 62 of the burning chamber 60. Theouter circular recess 120 and the inner circular recess 130 arepreferably circular to match the shape of the preferably cylindricalcooling sleeve 90 and the burning chamber 60. However, each could besquare in cross-section, triangular in cross-section, or some othershape, it being understood that the inner wall 66 of the burning chamber60 is preferably cylindrical in shape so as to allow for a smootherhelical fire pattern of the fuel 20 being burned.

The second end 58 of the at least one helical conduit 50 preferablyterminates between the burning chamber 60 and the fuel inlet port 40 ofthe base 30 in a direction substantially tangential to and upwardlyincluded with the inner wall 66 of the burning chamber 60. In this waythe fuel 20 is mixed with air to form a smooth helical fire patternalong the inner wall 66 of the burning chamber 60. However, in analternate embodiment, the second end 58 of the at least one helicalconduit 50 terminates between the burning chamber 60 and the fuel inletport 40 of the base 30 in a direction somewhere between the longitudinalaxis of the burning chamber and the inner wall 66 of the burning chamber60, yet while still being upwardly included with respect to the base 30.In such an embodiment, the helical fire pattern of the fuel 20 beingburned is more centrally located within the burning chamber 60, closertowards the longitudinal axis of the burning chamber than at the innerwall 66 of the burning chamber 60.

While a particular form of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed, it will be apparent that various modifications can be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Forexample, four of the helical conduits 50 are illustrated in thedrawings. However, any practical number of helical conduits 50 could beused. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited,except as by the appended claims.

Particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspectsof the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology isbeing redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics,features, or aspects of the invention with which that terminology isassociated. In general, the terms used in the following claims shouldnot be construed to limit the invention to the specific embodimentsdisclosed in the specification, unless the above Detailed Descriptionsection explicitly defines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope ofthe invention encompasses not only the disclosed embodiments, but alsoall equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the invention.

The above detailed description of the embodiments of the invention isnot intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the preciseform disclosed above or to the particular field of usage mentioned inthis disclosure. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, theinvention are described above for illustrative purposes, variousequivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention,as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. Also, the teachingsof the invention provided herein can be applied to other systems, notnecessarily the system described above. The elements and acts of thevarious embodiments described above can be combined to provide furtherembodiments.

All of the above patents and applications and other references,including any that may be listed in accompanying filing papers, areincorporated herein by reference. Aspects of the invention can bemodified, if necessary, to employ the systems, functions, and conceptsof the various references described above to provide yet furtherembodiments of the invention.

Changes can be made to the invention in light of the above “DetailedDescription.” While the above description details certain embodiments ofthe invention and describes the best mode contemplated, no matter howdetailed the above appears in text, the invention can be practiced inmany ways. Therefore, implementation details may vary considerably whilestill being encompassed by the invention disclosed herein. As notedabove, particular terminology used when describing certain features oraspects of the invention should not be taken to imply that theterminology is being redefined herein to be restricted to any specificcharacteristics, features, or aspects of the invention with which thatterminology is associated.

While certain aspects of the invention are presented below in certainclaim forms, the inventor contemplates the various aspects of theinvention in any number of claim forms. Accordingly, the inventorreserves the right to add additional claims after filing the applicationto pursue such additional claim forms for other aspects of theinvention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A burner for consuming a fuel and for resting ona horizontal surface, the burner comprising: a base having a lower end,an upper end, and at least one side wall of a height sufficient for thebase to contain a fuel inlet port therein, the fuel inlet port includingat least an inner wall and a bottom wall; at least one helical conduitfixed outside of the inner wall of the fuel inlet port and adapted forconveying air from a first open end thereof at the lower end of the baseto a second open end thereof at the upper end of the base, the lower endof the base adapted to support the burner on the horizontal surfacewhile providing air flow to the first open end of the at least onehelical conduit; an annular burning chamber having a bottom end, topend, an inner wall and an outer wall, the bottom end of the burningchamber fixed with the upper end of the base, the second end of the atleast one conduit terminating between the burning chamber and the fuelinlet port; whereby the fuel in the inlet port mixes with the airentering the burning chamber from the at least one helical conduit andburns in a helical pattern within the burning chamber.
 2. The burner ofclaim 1 wherein the fuel inlet port is an open end of a fuel container,the fuel container adapted to contain the fuel therein.
 3. The burner ofclaim 1 wherein the base includes a central aperture through the upperend thereof, the fuel inlet port adapted to be retained therein.
 4. Theburner of claim 2 wherein the base includes a central aperture throughthe upper end thereof, the fuel container adapted to be slidablyreceived therein.
 5. The burner of claim 1 wherein the base includes acentral aperture through the upper end thereof, and wherein the at leastone helical conduit is contained in an annular air guide sleeve adaptedto be slidably received therein, the fuel inlet port integrated in a topend of the air guide sleeve.
 6. The burner of claim 2 wherein the baseincludes a central aperture through the upper end thereof, and whereinthe at least one helical conduit is contained in an annular air guidesleeve adapted to be slidably received therein, the fuel containeradapted to be slidably received within a longitudinal bore of the airguide sleeve.
 7. The burner of claim 5 wherein the base and the airguide sleeve are mutually rotationally locked, whereby the air guidesleeve is prevented from spinning within the central aperture of thebase.
 8. The burner of claim 6 wherein the base and the air guide sleeveare mutually rotationally locked, whereby the air guide sleeve isprevented from spinning within the central aperture of the base.
 9. Theburner of claim 1 wherein the annular burning chamber is transparent.10. The burner of claim 9 wherein the annular burning chamber furtherincludes an annular transparent cooling sleeve fixed therearound with atleast one spacing bracket, the cooling sleeve open at a first bottom endand a second top end thereof, whereby air heated by the burning chamberrises and exits at a top gap defined between the second top end of thecooling sleeve and the top end of the burning chamber, thereby drawingcooler air therebetween from the first bottom end of the cooling sleeve,the cooling sleeve sized to inhibit touching of the burning chamber. 11.The burner of claim 10 wherein the upper end of the base includes anouter circular recess adapted to receive the first bottom end of thecooling sleeve and an inner circular recess adapted to receive thebottom end of the burning chamber, the at least one spacing bracketfixed about the first bottom end of the cooling sleeve providing an airgap thereunder through which air may flow between the cooling sleeve andthe burning chamber.
 12. The burner of claim 1 wherein the at least onehelical conduit includes exactly two opposing helical conduits in adouble-helix pattern.
 13. The burner of claim 1 wherein the at least onehelical conduit includes exactly three evenly-spaced helical conduits ina triple-helix pattern.
 14. The burner of claim 1 wherein the at leastone helical conduit includes exactly four evenly-spaced helical conduitsin a quadruple-helix pattern.
 15. The burner of claim 1 wherein thesecond end of the at least one conduit terminates between the burningchamber and the fuel inlet port in a direction substantially tangentialto and upwardly inclined with the inner wall of the burning chamber. 16.The burner of claim 1 wherein the second end of the at least one conduitterminates between the burning chamber and the fuel inlet port in adirection between the longitudinal axis and the inner wall of theburning chamber, and upwardly inclined with respect to the base.
 17. Theburner of claim 1 wherein the fuel inlet port is the open end of apressurized fuel conduit.
 18. The burner of claim 1 wherein the baseincludes a plurality of feet for supporting the base above thehorizontal surface, around which air flows to the first end of the atleast one conduit.
 19. The burner of claim 1 wherein the base includes aplurality of radial grooves for conducting air to the first end of theat least one conduit.